The Chattanooga Mocs softball earned a thrilling 5-4 victory in ten innings during game one of a doubleheader at SoCon-leading UNCG before falling in the nightcap, 4-2, on Saturday afternoon.
Following the split, Chattanooga moves to 23-23 overall and 7-5 in the Southern Conference. UNCG is now 37-9 overall and 10-2 in the conference.
UTC had its seven-game SoCon winning streak snapped during game two of the doubleheader. The Mocs remain in third place in the league standings, trailing UNCG (10-2) and Mercer (8-2).
Freshman pitcher Allison Swinford notched the win in the circle in game one after tossing two spotless innings in relief of starter Celie Hudson.
Brook Womack recorded the go-ahead RBI in the top of the tenth to give UTC the lead.
GM1 | Chattanooga 5, UNCG 4 (10)
UNCG took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI fielder’s choice to shortstop after a lead-off walk started the inning.
Chattanooga responded with a three-run second inning to a two run lead. Aly Walker started the inning with a four-pitch walk and later advanced to third on an Amanda Beltran double off the fence in right field.
Devan Brown followed suit with an RBI single up the middle before Hayleigh Weissenbach delivered a two-RBI single to left with the bases loaded, giving UTC a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans answered with a run in the home half of the second on an RBI ground-out to first base to cut into their deficit, 3-2. They would add a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run homerun off the bat of Jasmine Palmer to take a 4-3 lead.
With two outs and a runner on first in the top of the fifth, Walker delivered a double to the left-center gap on a 2-2 count to bring in Brook Womack and tie the game at 4-4.
Starting pitchers Celie Hudson and Alicia Bazonski were nearly flawless from that point on. Hudson didn’t allow a hit for over three-plus innings following the fourth inning homerun. She allowed only two base runners up until the ninth inning when a lead-off walk forced a pitching change.
Allison Swinford relieved Hudson with no outs in the top of the ninth and a runner on first. She induced a pop-up to the catcher on the first pitch before a line-drive double play ended the UNCG threat two pitches later.
With the international tie-breaker rule going into effect in the tenth inning, the Mocs started the frame with J.J. Hamill at second base. Ashley Conner led off the inning with a sacrifice bunt to advance Hamill to third. Womack followed her with an RBI single up the middle to score Hamill and give the Mocs a 5-4 lead.
The Spartans advanced their runner to third via a ground-out to short in the bottom of the tenth, but Swinford came up with two big outs to strand the runner. She induced a soft pop-up to shortstop for the second out of the inning ahead of a walk to put runners on first and third with two outs. Swinford needed just two pitches to get Alexis Overdiep to ground-out to shortstop and give the Mocs a 5-4 victory.
Swinford (8-9) pitched two spotless innings of relief to earn the win in the circle. She allowed no hits over the six batters she faced. Hudson was given the no-decision but had another impressive start. She tossed 8.0 innings and allowed just four hits while striking out two. It’s her fourth-straight start allowing four or less hits over seven or more innings of work.
Chattanooga out-hit their opposition for the eighth-straight game as they recorded 10 hits to UNCG’s four. Weissenbach (2-for-5), Walker (2-for-4) and Brown (2-for-3) recorded the lone multi-hit games. Weissenbach (2), Walker (1) and Womack (1) supplied the RBI for the Mocs in the win.
GM2 | UNCG 4, Chattanooga 2
After a scoreless two and a half innings, UNCG struck first in the bottom of the third on the help of a Mocs throwing error. The Spartans started the inning with an infield single and later put runners on first and second with no outs after a failed fielder’s choice attempt at second base on a sacrifice bunt.
UNCG would plate a run on a sacrifice fly down the right field line and an RBI double to left center to take a 2-0 lead.
Chattanooga responded in the top of the fourth inning when Aly Walker and Emma Sturdivant laced back-to-back doubles to the gap in right-center to cut the deficit in half, 2-1. Devan Brown delivered with a two-out RBI single to center field to tie the game up at 2-2.
UNCG re-gained the lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single to center field with one out and runners on second and third. They would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a bases-loaded walk to extend out to a 4-2 advantage and eventually hold the Mocs off the board in the seventh.
Allison Swinford (8-10) suffered the loss as the starting pitcher, but put together a strong outing. She went 6.1 innings and surrendered six hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out two. It marks her second-straight SoCon start going six-plus innings and allowing less than two earned runs.
Chattanooga and UNCG tied in the hit column, 6-6. Sturdivant finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and RBI while Brown added the other RBI in a 1-for-3 performance. Halie Williamson and Amanda Beltran added singles while Walker laced a double in the loss.
Chattanooga closes out the three-game series at UNCG tomorrow with a single game at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcasted LIVE on ESPN+ and the link can be found on the schedule page.